New Head-Fier

In the world of audio especially in the subrange of 1000- 2000 you will definitely be tempted to experiment. The German brightness and excitement of this dac will be a different flavour of the music you are listening too. Digital filters cannot recreate note decay easily as it almost appears some filters just rolls off the highs to calm the music. Note decay on piano or string instruments this solid state dac is probably not it's strong points. Kind of like comparing a Focal Clear/HD800S vs a HIfiman Ananda/aging HD650 in the headphone world.

Depending on self powered speakers you choose it'll probably be Class D amplification. Kef's LS50W only uses Class AB for its tangerine tweeter but Class D for the driver so it's going to be punchy. You'll need to feed it a tube or vinyl source to produce a more realistic note decay with 3d holographic vocals and string instruments.

End game is powerful words that I know most of my audiofile friends can have difficulty including that in a sentence The more you audition the more you get sucked into the music and demand realism. Now if you talking about background music while being occupied with other things that's a different story.......

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I hear you, but I have zero desire to fall into "gear acquisition syndrome" such as in my life of a below-adequate-guitar player and how GAS can get you into trouble here (amps, pedals, other guitars, etc). I only have so much time, money and energy I want to spend into this because that is time that takes away from actually listening to music and enjoying music. I like shiny new things in this hobby just like the next guy and drool over the latest and greatest high end stuff. I have access to higher end stuff than what I have (thanks to my friends who actually make a living in this headphone space race). For me, I just have to draw the line at some point.

The Kefs are outstanding. I have a vinyl source and I would rather listen to vinyl through speakers than my headphones

100+ Head-Fier

I own more expensive dacs (and amps, and headphones, and iems, and, and, and) but still use the adi-2 every day because it does things that other dacs don’t, provides plenty of detail in sound, and works well with a variety of headphones, iems, and amps. It’s also far above what a laptop or smart device can produce.

It very well could be an endgame dac for many people. And you can bet it’s one i would never sell, no matter what other gear i buy in the future (well, if rme came out with an upgrade, that might make me sell my current one...maybe). Heck, I sometimes wonder why i chase other gear when i already have a great setup with the adi-2 in the chain, but then, i’m a little obsessed with chasing sound, as are many on head-fi.

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If the RME is perfect for every aspect to one's ears there is no need for other gear ownership. "everyday" states some differentiation between your more expensive gear. This is my point of different flavours for different purposes. "Everyday" to me is turning on my Denon AVR for background non critical listening music. Critical listening I'll use a Simaudio Moon amp with a totally different pair of speakers. Mood and type of music with different genre's too.

My point of discussion is that there is a never ending supply of fresh products. System synergy is also a very crucial combination of "satisfaction".

There is a point of diminishing returns so I get that. For the affordable price range of the RME it's a great value. It's a hot topic as this product started to get a spot light from paid reviewers. Marketing is strong in the audio world.

We all get use to a certain sound. This combination of equipment is a form of conditioning. We will use a certain "combo" sound as a reference point when auditioning other equipment.

Not here to argue or disrespect in anway. I simply stated "end game" is a strong combo of words that is not often reality.

500+ Head-Fier

In the world of audio especially in the subrange of 1000- 2000 you will definitely be tempted to experiment. The German brightness and excitement of this dac will be a different flavour of the music you are listening too. Digital filters cannot recreate note decay easily as it almost appears some filters just rolls off the highs to calm the music. Note decay on piano or string instruments this solid state dac is probably not it's strong points. Kind of like comparing a Focal Clear/HD800S vs a HIfiman Ananda/aging HD650 in the headphone world.

Depending on self powered speakers you choose it'll probably be Class D amplification. Kef's LS50W only uses Class AB for its tangerine tweeter but Class D for the driver so it's going to be punchy. You'll need to feed it a tube or vinyl source to produce a more realistic note decay with 3d holographic vocals and string instruments.

End game is powerful words that I know most of my audiofile friends can have difficulty including that in a sentence The more you audition the more you get sucked into the music and demand realism. Now if you talking about background music while being occupied with other things that's a different story.......

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Hmmm. I own the Focal Utopia, HD 800, KSE1200, T1, HD650, aging Denon and AT headphones, among others. Own multiple analog sources and tube amps. Again, like many on head-fi, I'm a little irrationally obsessed. I've been chasing audio since my first Berkofsky handmade speakers purchased back in '88. And have an old (and long since broken) Stax Lambda Pro Classic and SRM-T1S (buried in a box somewhere in the garage)

So...when you talk about analog vs. digital with regards to sources and chains, that's a very different conversation from talking about just the RME in a world of DACs.

The first post of your's that I responded to seemed to be talking about the RME as an endgame for those who listen to digital music. To which I would definitely say it could easily be end game for many people.

The second post which I'm quoting here seems to be talking about SS DACs vs. analog in general, and that statement, frankly, is one you could apply to any SS DAC and not particularly to the ADI-2. What you seem to be saying here is that NO SS DAC under $2000 can be end game because any DAC in this price range can't compare to analog. I'm assuming by your price range clarification that you are withholding judgement on more expensive SS DACs.

One can easily infer from your two posts that your opinion is that end game requires a pure analog chain, or spending obscene amounts of money in order to be considered end game.

And that opinion, while certainly acceptable for you to have in reference to yourself (I too spend too much on audio gear to really argue against that point), does not apply to every hard core audiophile. Not every hardcore audiophile, even those with "well tuned ears", can afford to spend (or can justify spending) irrational amounts of money on audio gear.

Many can barely afford spending on the ADI-2 DAC and a good pair of headphones. Others may have the disposable income but have other financial priorities and/or obligations in life.

When discussing end game, the real question I ask is whether a piece of equipment performs far above the competition in the same price range. To that end, the ADI-2 is absolutely end game worthy.

Though just an opinion, the ADI-2, to my mind and my ears and my requirements, performs far above its price range. It may be the best value for dollar purchase (for audio gear) I have ever made. I will personally probably keep chasing more gear, cuz I'm stupid that way (and old and a DINK), but in terms of both "true value" and "value for dollar", the ADI-2 is hard to beat and an easily justifiable, highly satisfying end game DAC/AMP.

500+ Head-Fier

If the RME is perfect for every aspect to one's ears there is no need for other gear ownership. "everyday" states some differentiation between your more expensive gear. This is my point of different flavours for different purposes. "Everyday" to me is turning on my Denon AVR for background non critical listening music. Critical listening I'll use a Simaudio Moon amp with a totally different pair of speakers. Mood and type of music with different genre's too.

My point of discussion is that there is a never ending supply of fresh products. System synergy is also a very crucial combination of "satisfaction".

There is a point of diminishing returns so I get that. For the affordable price range of the RME it's a great value. It's a hot topic as this product started to get a spot light from paid reviewers. Marketing is strong in the audio world.

We all get use to a certain sound. This combination of equipment is a form of conditioning. We will use a certain "combo" sound as a reference point when auditioning other equipment.

Not here to argue or disrespect in anway. I simply stated "end game" is a strong combo of words that is not often reality.

100+ Head-Fier

Did I misunderstand that statement or are you accusing RME of paying reviewers to write (positively, obviously) about their ADI-2 DAC? If so can you provide any proof for this serious claim?

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The audio world is extremely lucrative. Let's call a spade of spade......

Reverting the question back to you......is there proof that every article on the web/paperback/blog is not compensated in some form or another? Is there full disclosure when perks or privileges are granted? is there pure honesty if a high profile magazine requests gear for a cover spread? There is always some form of etiquette in the balance of graceful access to hardware, in exchange of wonderful subject content for a magazine/blog etc to sustain readers.

Human nature.........It is what it is.

Real world reviews from end users on public forums is probably a safer bet in reality. However thin wallet justifying their happy expenditure on new "toys" can also skew reality too

There should be full disclosure but that doesn't always happen. Oddly enough many are not aware of this world of marketing.

500+ Head-Fier

The audio world is extremely lucrative. Let's call a spade of spade......

Reverting the question back to you......is there proof that every article on the web/paperback/blog is not compensated in some form or another? Is there full disclosure when perks or privileges are granted? is there pure honesty if a high profile magazine requests gear for a cover spread? There is always some form of etiquette in the balance of graceful access to hardware, in exchange of wonderful subject content for a magazine/blog etc to sustain readers.

Human nature.........It is what it is.

Real world reviews from end users on public forums is probably a safer bet in reality. However thin wallet justifying their happy expenditure on new "toys" can also skew reality too

There should be full disclosure but that doesn't always happen. Oddly enough many are not aware of this world of marketing.

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As those public forum reviewers get bigger, they too can become susceptible to the quid pro quo of reviews for things they may not even have to return.

100+ Head-Fier

As those public forum reviewers get bigger, they too can become susceptible to the quid pro quo of reviews for things they may not even have to return.

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Indeed this is what happens!!

I've spoken to a local boutique tube amplifier company being approached by reviewers. He mentioned to me in disgust that there was a conversation of an "exchange of Glowing words" with no postal return stamps involved in "payment". He declined such lucrative practice of marketing.

500+ Head-Fier

I've spoken to a local boutique tube amplifier company being approached by reviewers. He mentioned to me in disgust that there was a conversation of an "exchange of Glowing words" with no postal return stamps involved in "payment". He declined such lucrative practice of marketing.

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Damn, that sucks. That kind of mentality hurts the credibility of those who are giving their honest opinion on products.

100+ Head-Fier

No, you don't. I did not come up with that statement, and therefore I don't have to proof anything.

Analyzing the rest of your bla bla it's obvious that you now try to cirumvent and drift away from your initial statement, which is pure phantasy but presented as fact.

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The "fact" is that this "relationship" of audio product and reviewer exists. Pretending such methods of marketing does not exist is not realistic.

The difficulty is that we must all read reviews and sift through well written genuine analysis or skewed biased reviews due to perks.

Since audio is all subjective we are all able to enjoy our gear regardless of cost or status.

I'm not shocked that stating a fact of lucrative aggressive marketing can ruffle feathers. Earlier it's presumptuous of me to state "paid reviewers" to a degree but I will not delete such statements either. To say it's not happening is being naive. I have facts that it exists.

Is the RME a great product? sure........ hyper detail with pinpoint location of instruments and soundstage is a good thing. Sometimes less is more and listening to tube or vinyl has an entirely different sense of the music. Vocals can be determined as "sounds great" but true to the recording? This is why we tend to look for audio nirvana. Seems going solid state or tube gear is just as different as swapping from one headphone to another. Holographic 3d vocals with natural sounding sound stage can be achieved with less detail from vinyl or tube. This is why I own both solid state and tube.